About the YNPN National Movement

A 2004 study conducted by the Annie E. Casey Foundation revealed that 72.5% of all nonprofit leaders were in their 40s and 50s, with 55% over the age of 50. 65% of the organizations surveyed said they are likely to go through a leadership transition by 2009 and 57% of organizations have experienced a transition within the last 10 years. These findings confirm similar studies conducted over the last few years illustrating the looming leadership deficit the nonprofit sector will face as soon as 2007. It is reported that by 2007 between 61% and 78% of executive directors will retire or leave their organizations. This impending leadership deficit could be the greatest challenge nonprofits face over the next ten years.

In almost every profession, early career professionals learn, grow, and connect with peers through programs and professional associations dedicated to nurturing the profession’s future leaders. Young lawyers join the ABA Young Lawyers Division, young foundation program officers join Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy (EPIP), young CPAs join a young CPAs committee, and young teachers find opportunities in their union or any number of other professional associations. In each of these professions, the field supports a young professionals’ association to not only provide professional development and networking opportunities, but also to build the profession’s pipeline of leaders. YNPN serves as the place where young nonprofit professionals obtain the personal networks, skills, and support that professionals in other fields take for granted.

The quick spread of YNPN chapters across the country demonstrates the demand for these same types of opportunities among early career nonprofit sector professionals. Each YNPN chapter has grown organically in its community, with support and guidance from the initial San Francisco chapter and the YNPN National board. A volunteer advisory board, along with numerous committee members and program organizers, leads each YNPN chapter. While each chapter develops programming that responds to its community’s unique needs, most chapters offer:

• An e-mail list where members exchange information and referrals, learn about special events and workshops, post and receive job announcements, and share ideas on issues facing the sector
• A web site linking the nonprofit community to information and resources
• A wide range of career development workshops and panels for its members
• Peer mentoring and support groups
• Monthly networking social hours
• Advocacy events, surveys, and awards programs to connect the sector in general with early career professionals’ needs

Through its community e-mail lists, peer connections, and events, YNPN chapters serve as vehicles for early career professionals to disseminate information throughout local nonprofit sectors and also to connect with like-minded professionals.

Building the National YNPN Movement
After its initial founding in San Francisco, local leaders formed YNPN chapters in New York, Chicago, Washington, DC, and Denver. To better serve this growing national network and provide infrastructure for local chapters across the country, YNPN National incorporated as an independent, national 501(c)3 nonprofit in 2004. YNPN National provides support and resources for local YNPN networks through leadership development, networking, and advocacy activities.

Focused on building local chapter leadership and capacity, along with developing a unified, national voice for early career professionals, YNPN National seeks to build and expand the YNPN movement throughout the United States. The national body is governed by a board of directors, comprised of representatives from YNPN chapters from across the country, along with other leaders committed to making the nonprofit sector a vibrant and viable place to work for young professionals. To date, YNPN National has been funded entirely by its board of directors and chapters, with a small grant from the Annie E. Casey Foundation supporting the recent YNPN National Leadership Conference held in Berkeley, CA.

For press, potential funders, and partnership inquiries, please contact YNPN National co-chair Josh Solomon.

To learn how you can start a local YNPN chapter in your area, visit the Local Chapters information page.

YNPN National Board Members

 Allyson Biegeleisen
Service Manager, Commongood Careers
Boston, MA

 Joseph Brooks, Chair of Emerging Chapters Committee
Director of Donor Relations – Lawrence University
Milwaukee, WI

 Brian Buchner
Special Investigator II-Office of the Inspector General,Los Angeles Police Department
Los Angeles, CA

 Kimberly Caldwell
Consultant, Greenlights for Nonprofit Success
Austin, TX

 Bridgette Frommell, Treasurer
Director of Institutional Advancement, Pius XI High School
Milwaukee, WI

 Jessica Hartl, Chair of Stronger Chapters Committee
Coordinator, Council of Organizations, United Nations Association of the USA
Washington, DC

 Kim Hendler, Chair of National Voice Committee
Executive Director, Princeton Project ’55
Princeton, NJ

 Eric Leland
Founder & Executive Director, Leland Design
ElCerrito, CA

 Rustin Lewis
Chief Executive Officer, College Bound, Inc.
Washington, DC

 Charise Liggins
Marketing-Communications Specialist, Youth Empowerment Services,INC
Summerville, SC

 Janice Lion,
Domestic Program Coordinator, Haverford College, Center for Peace & Global Citizenship
Philadelphia, PA

 Lillian MacEachern
Student
Pittsburgh, PA

 Matthew Nathan
Director, Sales Operations, Teachscape
San Francisco, CA

 Lavonzell Nicholson
Director of Capacity Building, Louisiana Association of Nonprofit Organizations
Baton Rouge, LA

 Yarrow Sandahl, Co-Chair
Student
Alameda, CA

 Josh Solomon, Co-Chair
Managing Director of Alumni Engagement, Teach For America
Boston, MA

 Trish Tchume
Community Outreach Manager, Action Without Borders / Idealist.org
New York, NY

 Anna C. Testa
Student
Chicago, IL

To learn how you can start a local YNPN group in your area, visit the Local Chapters page.